Understand what you want before talking to a contractor. It will be hard for a contractor to give you a price estimate over the phone if they have not seen your current system. Getting an estimate will be even more difficult if you cannot adequately describe the problem. So, know this information in advance.
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To make sure your condenser fan works properly, keep the fan blades and the coils clean. Turn off the power if you are going to work on your HVAC system. Take away all of the debris as well.
Cover your unit when you are mowing the lawn. Make sure you shoot the clippings in the other direction from the unit. This applies when you are taking care of the leaves in the yard.
If there are oil ports on your fan condenser, lubricate it annually. Most of these ports have some sort of protective cap covering them. Your oil should be an SAE 20. This particular oil is very lightweight and it only requires about 10 drops per port.
If you can choose the place where your outdoor compressor goes, pick a spot with lots of shade. Your unit won't have to work as hard to cool the inside air if the outside air it sucks from is cooler.
When the weather cools down, turn your outdoor condenser off. If the temperature outside is less than 60ºF, be sure to turn off the unit so that you don't damage it. You will save in repair bills and increase the efficiency of your system.
Double pane your windows to prevent drafts. Double pane windows can help minimize how much you use your air conditioner in the summer, because they keep cool air inside the home. When it is cold in the winter months, these same windows will keep the warm air inside as well.
One way to save some money with A/C is by having a programmable thermostat installed. Turning down the thermostat around 10 percent for 8 hours per day can give you a 10 percent savings using the programmable thermostat. Additionally, some models of programmable thermostats actually allow you to control them remotely from your office computer or cell phone.
You should have your HVAC system inspected at least once, but preferably twice, per year. When it's checked out, the motor will be inspected, moving parts well oiled and the level of freon adjusted if necessary. These few simple things will help your system to run at its peak performance.
If there isn't anyone at home, then there's no need for the AC unit to be running and wasting electricity. Turning it off does allow the temperature to rise, but only so far. The unit will use a large amount of electricity to combat the heat during the day when the house is empty.
Don't let your house get too hot. A simple AC unit will usually only cool the home around 20 degrees within a short period of time. Assuming the temperature in your home rises to a hundred degrees, you will only be able to reduce that by twenty degrees. This is not a safe and comfortable temperature for you to sleep in.
Air conditioners sometimes ice up. There are sometimes also freezes that happen in a drain line, and this can be confused for a plumbing leak. Change your thermostat in situations like this. You should call a pro to fix this problem, even if switching it to its fan setting starts making the ice melt.
Use an HVAC company that has been website in business for a while. It is more likely that a contractor who has been in business for a longer time will give you better value for your money. If you choose to hire a new contractor, you may be risking things.
Now you know all about the HVAC system. With the above tips and some motivation, it will be easy to delve into this world. You will be glad when you get it!
